Professional development has
always been a
vital growth center
for associations.
From large annual
meetings to small
workshops, education can be an important benefit to your members and an
important source of revenue for your
organization. When it comes to improving your educational offerings, however
— making them more valuable for both
your members and your bottom line —
sometimes the most basic techniques
are also the most powerful. With that
in mind, consider the following 10 tips
for enhancing your association’s educational programming:

1. Include Your members
You should include members in all
aspects of educational program development. Remember: Although you’re an
association professional, your members
are the content experts in their field.
At the Human Resources Management
Association of Chicago, members are
involved in all aspects of program development, from idea generation through
final presentation. Dedicated member
committees oversee the most complex
programs while other committees oversee several smaller programs.

2. Conduct a NeedsAssessmentNeeds assessment is one of the mostimportant steps in developing a suc-

cessful educational program. The best
place to start is typically with members.
If you conduct member surveys, include
questions about learning preferences
and challenges they may be facing in
their industry. Trade publications and
other media can be another source for
identifying “hot topics” for new programming. Additionally, program evaluations can be used to gather information.
Members who are already engaged in
your professional development offerings
are a good resource for input on future
programming.

Although it’s important to ask your
members what they need, don’t be
afraid to think outside the box. Consider
offering non-traditional topics to your
members who may not think of your